Kyoto Cherry Blossom Season: Planning the Trip That Always Sells Out

Sakura season in Kyoto is one of the most beautiful things I have witnessed in 20 years of travel. It is also, if you're not careful, one of the most stressful. Here's how to do it right.

When to Go

Peak bloom in Kyoto is typically late March to early April, but it varies year to year by up to two weeks. Check the Japan Meteorological Corporation's sakura forecast, released in January — it's astonishingly accurate. Full bloom lasts only 5–7 days. Petals fall in rain. Time it well.

Where the Crowds Aren't

Everyone goes to Maruyama Park and Philosopher's Path. They're beautiful but shoulder-to-shoulder from 8am. Instead: walk the canal paths in Gion before 7am, visit Daigo-ji temple in the south (40 minutes from central Kyoto, dramatically fewer people), and walk the back paths at Arashiyama before the bamboo grove crowds arrive.

Accommodations

Book in October for the following spring. I'm not exaggerating. Ryokan (traditional inn) rooms in Kyoto during sakura season sell out in hours when they release. I stayed at a family-run minshuku for ¥12,000/night ($80) including breakfast and dinner. The owner spoke no English. We communicated entirely through gestures and a translation app and it was one of the best stays of my life.